We need a major shift to regenerative farming
Reading Time: 5 minutes
True sustainable, regenerative agriculture will reverse the negative impact of conventional agriculture and result in sustainable food production.
FAQ about legumes and root nodules
Reading Time: 2 minutes
These are some questions I was asked by a farmer in the Tsitsikamma the other day about legumes and root nodules.
Tapping into the tons of nitrogen above the soil
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil provide an opportunity for farmers to tap into the huge amounts of nitrogen which are just sitting in the atmosphere, waiting to be unlocked.
A land managers’ responsibility
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The amazing thing is that all these ecosystem services support greater agricultural production. They can only be unlocked when the soil is viewed as a valuable natural resource that needs to be conserved.
Are cows really that bad?
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Taking all this into account, methane is a huge problem. But is it? Recent research has challenged whether methane should be treated in the same manner as carbon dioxide when it comes to its impact on climate change.
Keeping your eye on the prize
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I would challenge any farmer that desires to improve their farm to think about the “why” behind the regenerative agriculture approach. What is the prize?
What is nature telling you?
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Often farmers treat the farm as a whole and that is completely wrong. Fields within a few meters from each other can have completely different characteristics, especially with regards to soil biology.
Without oxygen in the soil, nothing works
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Oxygen is one of the overlooked but most important requirements for microbial and root development. In fact, I’d even posit that it is more important than food, water, and warmth.
Why not compost?
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Nothing should ever be viewed as “waste” on the farm. Organic waste can be converted into compost that helps improve the farms soil life and fertility.
Our soil is under threat
Reading Time: 5 minutes
To a large extent, these threats are caused by conventional agriculture. This is what makes the regenerative approach to soil management so important.